Author: PHW

At the end of 1985, PHW was able to make one of its most significant Revolving Fund purchases. The building in question was the Hexagon House, the unique six-sided structure at 530 Amherst Street. Through the early 1980s, the building had transitioned away from residential use to office space. Plans were formulated to build an entirely new medical structure in the front yard, essentially blocking the now iconic view of the “yellow house on the hill.” The plan did not materialize, but it was clear that the Hexagon House was facing dire pressures on its historic integrity.

Although the purchase price was far above what PHW could normally afford for a Revolving Fund purchase, the acquisition was possible because a buyer was waiting in the wings – Julian Wood Glass, Jr. In addition, he extended the generous offer for PHW to utilize the building for office space – an offer that has continued today through the Glass-Glen Burnie Foundation and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.

The Hexagon House was a substantial bump up in floor space from PHW’s first office at 8 East Cork Street. To help furnish the building, PHW hosted a three day gala in April of 1986 much in the spirit of the Holiday House Tours. The house was decorated by a number of antique dealers and interior decorators. Friday evening was an invitation-only cocktail buffet, and Saturday and Sunday were open house tours for the public. The weekend raised just under $5,000.00, and netted several donated furnishings. The refrigerator, donated by Mary Henkel, is still serving PHW to this day!

View images from the Cocktail Buffet at Flickr.

Happy Friday! The PHW history posts are on a brief hiatus during this busy behind the scenes period of activity on the Holiday House Tour. But never fear, there are still plenty of images and history to be shared from PHW’s collections.

This week, we take a look at some very recent PHW history, our 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Taylor Pavilion on September 19. It was universally praised as one of PHW’s best events in years, and we hope you were able to attend. If you missed it, you can get a little glimpse into the activities and atmosphere that night with some candid shots of the action. Special thanks to Becky Parrish, caterer from “A Matter of Taste,” and the Robert Larson Trio who provided our live music for the evening. We are also indebted to our friends at the Winchester Little Theatre, who loaned us four fabulous volunteers — Don Vachon, Karen Marjarov, and Jim and Kendra Getaz — for the check in table so that the PHW board members could enjoy the fruits of their labors.

View the album on Flickr.

It’s hard to believe, but we are just one week away from PHW’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Tickets are still available; see the 50th Anniversary page for more details on how to reserve your spot.

In honor of our upcoming 50th celebration on September 19, we look back today at the 25th, or Silver Anniversary celebration, which was held in October 1989 at the recently renovated Rouss City Hall. Relieve the last big anniversary celebration with some candid photos before making new memories next Friday!

View the album on Flickr.

It’s another short post this week as we continue to work on PHW’s 50th Anniversary Celebration (spots are still available!).

This special two-part tour and lecture focusing on Staunton was coordinated in 1988 by Katie Rockwood and Kay Whitworth. The first phase, a lecture, was held in the Old Stone Church on East Piccadilly Street in Winchester. Ann McCleary, Curator at the then newly opened Museum of Frontier American Culture, spoke on the early 18th and 19th century architecture of the Shenandoah Valley, and how the Frontier Museum interprets the lives of the early pioneers.

The second phase was the field trip to Staunton. The first stop on the bus trip was the Frontier Museum itself. At that time, two homesteads were completed – the Scotch-Irish and the Appalachian farm. PHW’s guests were offered a special guided tour on this trip, as normally experiencing the site was unguided.

The tour group had a private tour and lunch at Belle Grae Inn, which at the time was a gourmet hotspot in an 1870s Italianate home converted to a bed and breakfast establishment.

After lunch, the group meet with representatives from the Historic Staunton Foundation for a walking tour of the downtown, with an emphasis on how their Facade Improvement Program impacted both the appearance and economic vitality of their downtown. Some of the highlighted spots included Trinity Church, Stuart House, C.W. Miller House, and The Oaks.

Relive the field trip to Staunton at the Flickr album.